Republican National Chairman says election has to start now

The newly-elected chairman of the Republican National Committee says the next presidential campaign should start today. R-N-C chair Ken Mehlman, the manager of President Bush’s re-election campaign, spoke in Des Moines over the noon-hour. “The victory in 2004 was won by planning in 2001 and 2002 and 2003,” Melhman says. “The 2008 election is 1,350 days away,”: Mehlman says. “I’m not sure how many days the Iowa Strawpoll is away or the Iowa Caucus is, but it’s all going to start here.” Mehlman also told Iowa Republicans to start laying the groundwork for the governor’s race that’ll be decided in 2006. “We need to make sure that that contested primary is about issues not personalities,” Mehlman says. “Let’s come together in the end and make sure we win this state for the republican gubernatorial nominee, whoever that person is, on election day.” Bob Vander Plaats) of Sioux City — one of the republicans who’s running for governor — was in the room for Mehlman’s speech. He shook hands with Melhman after his speech, and promised to abide by the “speak no evil” of another republican policy.